Aircraft gun mount and flush protective shield therefor



July 4, 1939. 2,164,722

AIRCRAFT GUN MOUNT AND FLUSH PROTECTIVE SHIELD THEREFOR J. c. SANDERS 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed Oct. 17, 1934 3nnentor John C. Sanders(Ittomeg July 4-, J c, S D RS AIRCRAFT GUN MOUNT ANb FLUSH PROTECTIVESHIELD THEREFOR Original Filed Oct. 17, 1934 2 Sheets- Sheet 2 IhmenforJohn G Sanders Patented July 4, 1939 r a v rrrir are AIRCRAFT GUN MOUNTAND FLUSH PRO TECTIIVE SHIELD THEREFOR John Q. Sanders, Seattle, :Wash,assignor to Boeing Aircraft Company, Seattle, Wash, a corporation ofWashington Original application October 1'7, 1934, Serial No.

Divided and this application December 21, 1936, Serial No. 116,918

18 Claims.

My invention relates to a gun mount of the enclosed type for use uponaircraft, and more particularly for installation in airplanes,preferably of the type to support machine guns.

This application is a division from my application Serial No. 749,040,filed October 17, 1934 which has matured into Patent Number 2,113,143.

My gun mount is of the type in which a protective enclosure is providedfor both the gun mount and the gunner, to protect them from the airstream flowing past the aircraft. Especially is my inventionadvantageous for use in a gun emplacement formed as a continuation of anaircraft body, such, for example, as in the nose of an airplanefuselage.

It is the principal purpose of my invention to provide a gun emplacementof this general type, having as nearly as possible a streamline contour,so that the air resistance of the airplane will not be appreciablyincreased by the gun installation. Armament may thus be prow'ded uponvery high speed bombing airplanes, for example, without detrimentallyaffecting the speed of the airplane to an appreciable extent.

It is a more specific object to provide a gun installation in therounded nose of an airplane, for example, of a type such that the onlyprojecting part of the assembly is the gun barrel, and further so thatthe rounded contour of the nose is not altered by reason of the gunenclosure shape.

In an installation of this type, however, it is also an object of myinvention to afford an unusually extensive field of fire for the gun,although, with the exception of the barrel, the gun, its mount, and thegunner, are all enclosed from the airstream, both for the protection ofthe gunner and to minimize the air resistance.

Other objects and the particular manner in which I propose to accomplishthe aforementioned objects will become apparent from the description ofthe specification read with the accompanying drawings in mind.

While my invention is illustrated in the draw ings and described in thespecification in representative embodiments, it is to be borne in mindthat the forms shown are primarily to illustrate the principles of myinvention, and adaptation of the ideas incorporated therein to otherforms will occur to those skilled in the art, the characteristicfeatures being defined in the claims appended hereto.

The drawings illustrate the novel features of my invention incharacteristic installations, denoting feasible suggested constructions.All these .cal contour of the aircraft structure.

are shown in the form of gun emplacements at the, terminus of anaircraft body.

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section, and Figure 2 a transverse sectionfrom the inside looking forward of a gun installation in the noseportion of 5 an airplane fuselage.

Figures 3 and 5 are sections corresponding to Figure l of two modifiedforms of a gun installation, and Figures 4 and 6 are sectionscorresponding to Figure 2, illustrating,respectively, the modil0 fiedforms of Figures 3 and 5.

Figures '7 and 8 are longitudinal and transverse sections, respectively,corresponding respectively to Figures 1 and 2 of still a furthermodification. 15

A principal common'characteristic of all the forms shown in the drawingsis the provision of a gun shield, employed to close an opening in anaircraft structure through which a gun projects, of a contoursubstantially identical with the 10- By this I mean that the gun shieldclosing the aperture through which the gun projects is of substantiallythe same shape as would be the aircraft structure were the opening forthe gun not provided, but instead the fuselage were made of continuousstreamline shape; the gun shield blends with the surface of the aircraftstructure sur-' rounding the aperture.

Specifically I have shown my gun-installation in the nose of an airplanefuselage. Ordinarily such a nose would be bullet-shaped, having anapproximately circular crosssection. For projection of a gun an aperturemight be formed eccentrically of the longitudinal axis of the fuselagein a surface generally inclined with respect to such longitudinal axis,and yet not normal to such axis. When such an aperture, of a size'toenable elevational and traversing movement of a gun projectingtherethrough, is provided I preserve the original streamline contour ofthe fuselage by forming a shield to surroundthe gun barrel closely. Suchshield is of a size to close the aperture provided, and of a contour toform a substantially unbroken continuation of the bullet shape of thenose. I

While a gun projecting through such an aperture, when universallymounted would fire through a considerable field, I prefer that thisfield be increased by employing a construction to mafford orbitalmovement of the eccentrically disposed gun, gun mount, gun shield, andaperture closed thereby, about the longitudinal axis of the fuselage.Thus a gun I may project through an aperture 43 located in a shell l,which forms the nose of the fuselage, in a position eccentric of thelongitudinal fuselage axis and the axis of the shell 4. Orbital movementof the gun and opening 43 is then accomplished by supporting the shell 4rotatively with respect to the airplane body 40, as upon a. track 44.

In a gun emplacement of the general type described, the gun mount itselfand the shield closing the aperture 43 may take various forms and besupported in different ways. In Figures 1 and 2 the gun I is tiltablymounted upon the axis 24" upon the ring 2 which in turn is swingablewith relation to the ring 26 upon an axis 22 at right angles to the axis24 and the ring 26 in turn is rotatable in a circular path defined byrollers 20*, which path is inclined to the axis of the shell 4 anddisposed generally parallel to the aperture 43. Within the aperture 43is rotatably supported an enclosure or shield 3 having merely a slot forthe projection therethrough of the gun barrel, preferably of a widthjust suflicient to enable such projection, this enclosure beingrotatably guided in a track 34 for rotation in a plane generallyparallel to the plane defined by the several rollers 20* and theaperture 43. The

gun may be swung in the slot 3| in the shield, and by rotating the gunupon its mounting by grasping the handles l4 it will act as a lever, in

' swinging at an angle to the slot 3l to rotate the shield 3 By suchrotation the diametrically disposed slot 3| may be disposed in avertical plane, either parallel to the direction of flight, transverselythereof, or at any intermediate angle thereto. Thus the shield 3 mayform in effect a part of the streamlined structure of the shell 4, yetthe gun may be given elevational and traversing movement with respect tothe shell throughout a wide field by movement within the shell aperture43, and by rotation of the shell itself, combined with movement of thegun, the gun may be given a field of fire on all sides of the fuselage,as well as forward thereof, aggregating substantially ahemisphereforward of a plane normal to the direction of flight through the gunmount.

Any suitable means for supporting the shell 4 and guidlngit for rotationwith respect to the fuselage 40 may be provided, such, for example, asdisclosed in my aforementioned application Serial No. 729,040. Forinstance, rollers may be supported on brackets 45 to contact with theopposite sides oftracks 44. Swinging of the gun about the pivots 24 and22 would afford universal movement over the entire aperture 43, butsince it is preferable that the gun be maintained in an upright positionfor all swung positions of the gun and rotative positions of the shell 4the rotatable ring 26 should be provided. If in any particularinstallation it is not necessary that the gun be maintained upright, oneof the pivots 22 and 24 might be eliminated, and universal movement ofthe gun throughout the slot 43 could st ll be accomplished by swingingit about only the remaining one of these axes, accompanied by rotationof the ring 26.

A somewhat similar arrangement is illustrated in Figures 3 and 4, thechief difference being that the enclosure or shield, designated 3 todistinguish it, is not rotatably mounted, but is carried by arms 35,connected directly to the gun mount I 0, and therefore it is tilted andtraversed by corresponding movement of the gun. In this form the shield3 lies just inside the shell 4, and while it substantially closes thestreamline aperture of the shell when the gun is in the position shownin Figure 3, it would leave a gap when tilted unless it were extendedfarther than is shown in order to close such a gap. It will be notedthat both the shield 3 and the gun mount l tilt about the normallyhorizontally disposed axis 24 This pivot is received in a ring which inturn is supported from the shell 4 upon a vertical pivot, and again boththe shell 3 and the gun mount ill will swing conjointly about thisvertical pivot. In this form also, if it is desired to maintain the'gunin an upright position for all rotative positions of the shell 4,suitable means would be provided to enable the gun I to rotate about itsaxis and with respect to the gun mount and shield 3.

In Figures 5 and 6 a modification of the idea shown in Figures 3 and 4is illustrated, where the shield, designated 3 in order to distinguishit, is supported by arms 35 from the ring 2 This ring is tiltable uponan axis parallel to the shell aperture 43, and to the base of the shell4, which axis may be considered as normally horizontal, as shown inFigure 6, but the ring is not tiltable about a normally vertical axis atright angles to the horizontal axis, although the gun is swingable aboutsuch a vertical axis to traverse it along the normally horizontal slotformed in the shell 3 Therefore while the shield 3 is depressed orelevated by movement. of the gun, being supported on the tiltable ring 2the gun swings laterally with respect to the shield 3 the slot in thelatter being of suflicient extent to permit a considerable traversingmovement of the gun, and being of a. width just sufllcient forprojection of the gun barrel therethrough, so that the gun mount and thegunner, stationed on the portion of the fuselage 40 adjacent to the baseof the shell, will be protected from the air stream to a maximum degree.Likewise in this form, if it be desirable, provision may be made forrotation of the gun I about its longitudinal axis to maintain it uprightfor all rotative positions of the shell 4, in addition to its swingingmovement about the two above-mentioned axes.

In the form shown in Figures 7 and 8 the gun mount HP is providedwith'two bearings IS within which the gun is received for rotation aboutits own axis, and to the gun or its immediate mount is fixed the shield3, which in at least one position of the gun substantially fills theaperture 43 in the shell. The mount is tiltable about an axis 24 upon apost 21, which in turn is rotatable about an axis 22 placed off centerfrom the axis of rotation of the shell 4. This post is mounted on aframework, generally designated 28, supported either from the shell 'orupon the track 44, as may be preferred.

In all these formsit will be evident that the portion of the fuselage 40adjacent to the base of the shell constitutes the gunners support ratherthan the shell 4, so that he need not shift his own stance as he rotatesthe shell to accomplish orbital movement of the gun mount, aperture 43,and the gun projecting therethrough.

magma the nose thereof is maintained of the same desirable shape andsubstantially unbroken, as it would be were no gun emplacement provided,the only added resistance being that created by the projecting gunbarrel.

The illustrations of the drawings are largely diagrammatic, in thatstructural details have been omitted or indicated only in a general way.In any'of the forms such portions of the shell Q and fuselage 30as'deemed desirable may be made of transparent material to afford therequisite visibility for the gunner without providing unprotectedopenings in the aircraft structure for this purpose. 4

What I claim as my invention is;

1. In an aircraft structure terminating in a circular opening extendingtransversely-of the direction of flight, a terminal shell ofsubstantially hemispherical shape disposed with its base closing suchopening in streamlined continuation of the aircraft structure, andhaving an eccentric aperture therein between its dome and its base,means guiding said shell for rotation with respect to the aircraftstructure about an axis normal to said opening through the centerthereof, a gun mount supported directly upon said shell and adapted tosupport a gun projecting through the shell aperture for elevational andtraversing movement with respect to the shell, and a shield of a sizeand so disposed as to close sa d shell aperture, and of a contoursubstantially identical with the local shell contour, and apertured forprojection therethrough of a gun supported .by sad gun mount.

2. In an aircraft structure having an opening therein, a curved shellclosing such opening, means guiding said shell for rotation with respectto the aircraft structure, said shell having therein an aperturedisposed eccentrically of the shells rotative axis, pivot meanssupported from said shell in a position generally parallel to theaircraft structure opening and to the shell aperture, a ring carried bysaid 'pivot means, a slotted gun shield, of a size to close said shellaperture and of a contour substantially identical with the local shellcontour, supported by said ring adjacent to the shell aperture to swingrelatively thereto, a second ring within and pivoted upon said firstring on an axis normal to said pivot means, and a gun mount supportedfrom said second ring to swing therewith, and adapted to support a gunprojecting through the shield slot for traversing therealong.

3. In an aircraft structure having an opening therein, a substantiallyhemispherical shell rotative about its base, received in such openingand projected from such base to effect a streamline continuation of theaircraft structure, means gu ding said shell for rotation about an axisdisposed normal to the base through its center, said shell having anaperture therein between its dome and its base, a gun mount supporteddirectly upon said shell and adapted to support a gun projecting throughthe shell aperture for movement with respect to the shell, and a gunshield, of a size to close said shell aperture and of a contoursubstantially identical with the local shell contour, apertured forprojection therethrough of a gun, and supported from said gun mount forconjoint movement therewith.

4. In an aircraft structure having an opening therein, a substantiallyhemispherical shell having its base received in such opening, meansguiding said shell for rotation about an axis disposed normal to thebase through its center, said shell having an aperture therein betweenits dome and its base, a frame received within and of contourcorresponding to said shell, an arm projecting inward at an angle to theshells axis from that portion of said frameadjacent to the shells dome,pivot means mounted on the inner end of said arm, a bracket supported onsaid pivot means, pivot means, normal to said first pivot means, carriedby said bracket, a gun mount carried by said second pivot means andadapted to support a gun projecting through the shell aperture, and agun shield, of a size to close said shell aperture and of a contoursubstantially identical with the local shell contour, apertured forprojection therethrough of a gun, and supported from said gun mount forconjoint movement therewith.

5. In a truncated but otherwise streamlined aircraft structure the planeof the truncation of which is substantially transverse to thelongitudinal axis ofthe aircraft structure, said aircraft structurehaving an opening therein at the base of the truncation, a shell in theform of a body of revolution about an axis that is substantially coaxialwith the longitudinal axis of the aircraft structure, the shell closingsaid opening and being shaped to extend in smooth streamlinedcontinuation of the aircraft structure, in all positions of revolutionabout such axis, means guiding said shell for rotation with respect tothe a rcraft structure, an aperture in said shell, a gun mount sosupported with relation to said shell as to support a gun projectingthrough the shell aperture, and a shield of a size and disposition toclose said shell aperture and of a contour substantially identical withthe local shell contour.

'6. In a truncated but otherwise streamlined aircraft structure havingan opening therein at the base of the truncation, a shell in the form ofa body of revolution shaped to close such opening and extending insmooth continuation of the aircraft structure, and combining therewithto complete its streamline form, the shell having an aperture therein, agun mount supported directly upon said shell and adapted to support agun projecting through such aperture for elevational and traversingmovement with respect to the aircraft structure, a shield of a size anddisposition to close said shell aperture, and of a contour substantiallyidentical with the local shell contour, and apertured for projectiontherethrough of a gun supported by said gun mount, and means,independent of said gun and gun mount, supporting said shield from theaircraft structure.

7. An aircraft structure having an opening therein; a rotative shell,supported and guided for rotation from the aircraft structure, closingsaid opening, and having a circular aperture therein d sposedeccentrically of its rotative axis; a c rcular gun shield disk, of acontour substantially identical with the local shell contour, receivedand guided within said aperture, for rotation relatively to the shellabout an axis perpendicularly through the center of said disk, the diskbeing d ametrically slotted for projection therethrough of a gun; a gunmount to support a gun proieeting through the shield disk slot, means,independent of the disk supporting means, supporting and guiding saidmount for swinging about two axes, both normal to the gun barrels ax s,and normal to each other, one such axis being generally parallel to saiddisk, fortraversing movement along the shield disk slot, the rotation ofthe shell with respect to the aircraft structure affording orbitalmovement to the gun shield about the longitudinal axis of said shell.

8. In an aircraft structure having an opening therein, a dome-like shellclosing such opening and guided on the structure for relative rotationabout an axis through its dome and the center of its base, and having anaperture therein disposed eccentrically of its axis, a gun shield of acontour substantially identical with the local shell contour, closingsuch aperture, a gun mount to support a gun projecting through theaperture and gun shield, to swing in traverse and elevation from aposition substantially parallel to the shells axis, the .gun mount andshield moving orbitally about the shells axis, upon rotation of theshell relatively to the structure.

9. In an aircraft structure having an opening therein, a dome-like shellclosing such opening and guided on the structure for relative rotationabout an axis through its dome and the center of its base, and having anaperture therein disposed eccentrically of its axis, a gun shield of acontour substantially identical with the local shell contour, closingsuch aperture, a gun mount to support a gun projecting through theaperture and gun shield, to swing in traverse and elevation from aposition substantially parallel to the shells axis, the gun mount andshield moving orbitally about the shells axis, upon rotation of theshell relatively to the structure, and means incorporated in the gunmount for rotation of the gun about its own axis, whereby the gun may bemaintained upright during orbital movement. 10. A two-part aircraftstructure comprising a nose portion and a tail portion, formed as -abody of revolution of general ogival shape as a whole, the nose portionbeing joined to the tail portion along a plane transverse to thelongitudinal generating axis of the structure, and guided on the ta lportion for rotation relative to the latter about such axis, the noseportion having an aperture, a gun mount so flexibly supported withrelation to the nose portion as to support a gun for projection andaiming through such aperture, and a shield of a size and disposition toclose said aperture in all positions of the gun, and of a contoursubstantially identical with the local nose contour, whereby the ogivalshape of the structure as a whole is always maintained.

11. In a truncated but otherwise streamlined aircraft structure havingan opening therein at the base of the truncation, a shell in the form ofa body of revolution shaped to close such opening and extending insmooth continuation of the aircraft structure, and combining therewithto complete its streamline form, said shell having an aperture therein,means guiding said shell for rotation with respect to the aircraftstructure,-a

gun mount supported directly upon-said shell and adapted to support agun projecting through the shell aperture, a shield of a size anddisposit on to close said shell aperture and of a contour substantiallyidentical with the local shell contour. said aircraft structureconstituting a .gunners support, independent of said shell, whereby thegunner is supported in a position adjacent to said shell for operationof the gun supported in said gun mount.

12. In an aircraft structure having an opening therein, a shell closingsuch opening and having a c rcular aperture therein, a circular gunshield disk of a contour substantially identical with the local shellcontour, received within said aperture and slotted for projectiontherethrough of a gun, means guiding said disk for rotation with respectto said shell about an axis perpendicularly through the center of saiddisk, and a gun mount to support a gun projecting through and forswinging along the shield disk slot.

13. In an aircraft structure having an opening therein, a shell closingsuch opening and having a circular aperture therein, a circular gunshield disk of a contour substantially identical with the local shallcontour, received within said aperture and slotted for projectiontherethrough of a gun,

means guiding said disk for rotation with respect to said shell about anaxis perpendicularly through the center of said disk, a gun mount tosupport a gun projecting through the shield disk slot, and meanssupporting said gun mount for swinging movement of the 'gun about anaxis along the disk slot for all rotative positions of the disk in itsaperture, and for movement about an axis normal to its first-mentionedaxis.

14. In an aircraft structure having an opening therein, a shell closingsuch opening and having a circular aperture therein, a circular gunshield disk of a contour substantially identical with the local shellcontour, received within said aperture and slotted for projectiontherethrough of a gun, means guiding said disk for rotation with respectto said shell about an axis perpendicularly through the center of saiddisk, a gun mount to support a gun projecting through the shield diskslot, a member'supported for rotation in a plane parallel to said disk,pivot means mounted on said member to swing about an axis in its plane,and pivot means connected to said first pivot means and swingable aboutan axis normal thereto, and supporting said gun mount for movement aboutthree axes, for swinging of the gun along the shield disk slot in allrotative positions thereof and for rotation of the gun about its ownaxis.

15. In an aircraft structure having an opening therein, a shell closingsuch opening and having a circular aperture therein, a circular gunshield disk of a contour substantially identical with the local shellcontour, received within said aperture and diametrically slotted forprojection therethrough of a gun, means supporting said disk from theaircraft structure and guiding it for rotation with respect to saidshell about an axis perpendicularly through the center of said disk, agun mount to support a gun projecting through the shield disk slot, andmeans, independent of the disk supporting means, supporting said gunmount from the aircraft structure and guiding said mount for swingingabout two axes,

one normal to the gun barrel, and the other normal to the first axis andgenerally parallel to said disk, for traversing movement of the gunalong the shield disk slot for all rotative positions of the disk in itsaperture.

16. The combination of claim 15, the gun mount supporting meanscomprising a ringincluding an inner part and an outer part relatively'rotatable, the outer part being fixed relatively to the aircraftstructure, and pivot means interconnected between the inner ring partand the gun mount guiding the latter for its swinging movement.

17. In an aircraft structure having an opening therein, a substantiallyhemispherical shell rotative about its base received in such openingandproje'cted from such base to effect a continuation of the aircraftstructure, means guiding 'said shell for rotation about an'axis disposednormal to the base through its center, said shell having an aperturetherein between its dome and its base, a gun mount adapted to support agun projecting through the shell aperture, two pivot means securedtogether at right angles to each other, one being disposed alwaysgenerally parallel to the plane of the edge of the aircraft structureopening and mounted on said shell, and the other being disposed alwaysnormal to the longitudinal axis of the gun mount and supporting said gunmount, and a gun shield, of a size to close said shell aperature and of,a contour substantially identical with the local shell cona tour,apertured for projection therethrough of a gun, and supported from saidgun mount for conjoint movement therewith.

18. In a truncated but otherwise streamlined aircraft structure,constituting a gunners support, the plane of the truncation beingsubstantially transverse to the longitudinal axis of the aircraftstructure, said aircraft structure having an opening thereinat the baseof the truncation, a shell in the form of a body of revolution about anaxis that is substantially coaxial with. the longitudinal axis of theaircraft structure, the shell closing said opening and being shaped toextend in smooth streamlined continuation of the aircraft structure, inall positions of revolution about such axis, means guiding said shellfrom and for rotation with respect to the aircraft structure, the shellhaving an aperture, a gun mount so supported with relation to the shellas to support a gun projecting through the shell aperture, for operationby a gunner supported,

ERS.

